


Sitting at the Big Kid's Table

by mitchello



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Bonding, Female Dick Grayson, Friendship, Fundraisers, Gen, New Jersey, Petty Bruce Wayne, Underage Drinking, bruce wayne is a dad, drugged drinks, rich people parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:47:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24177652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitchello/pseuds/mitchello
Summary: Not all parties are stuffy and boring. Some of them are filled with sparkling lights, colorful flowers, and feel like they're straight out of a fairy tale. Unfortunately, both types are dangerous.Or: This year the Elliots' annual garden party features a petty Bruce Wayne, his son, expensive whisky, and an unexpected guest.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Dinah Lance, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Dick Grayson & Oliver Queen, Dick Grayson & Roy Harper, Dick Grayson & Roy Harper & Jason Todd, Dinah Lance/Oliver Queen, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen & Bruce Wayne, Roy Harper & Dinah Lance, Roy Harper & Jason Todd, Roy Harper & Oliver Queen
Comments: 4
Kudos: 142





	Sitting at the Big Kid's Table

The Elliots hosted a garden party on the first Saturday of May every year. The party served as a fundraiser for various environmental issues. It was one of the rare gatherings of the rich where it was encouraged to disappear down garden paths and admire Batik Bearded irises rather than show-face to as many people as possible.

Every year the Waynes were invited and every year since Bruce Wayne had returned to Gotham, he’d been in attendance. This year, it would be Bruce Wayne and son.

A little after 7:00 PM the Waynes arrived in the same manner as the other exuberantly rich guests: in a car that cost more than a middle-class family’s house wearing clothes made out of the finest materials designers have to offer. They were greeted by a cheery woman in a professional black dress with red lipstick and intricate braids pinned to the back of her head.

She walked them to a dirt path lined with candles that remained unlit until sunset. The path ran parallel with the dark brick house until it made a wide bend at the corner and an iron arbor allowed passage through a row of hedges into the back yard. From there, the path was surrounded on both sides by various flowers, some of which weren’t in bloom. Behind the flowers, evergreen shrubs trimmed to perfection grew next to tall trees whose branches stretched out above the path.

They walked the trail until it ended at an area filled with dozens of rustic tables, matching chairs, and white strips of cloth draped above their heads. Excessively rich people from across the globe could be seen coming and going from paths that shot off the space while others sat or stood around the tables.

Bruce and Jason paused to take in the atmosphere. There was a chorus of laughter from the women on the outskirts of the gathering and, somewhere, a man told a story loud enough his voice could be heard above the other chatter. It smelled like lilacs and earth.

A look of awe crossed over Jason, but he quickly dispelled it and turned his expression neutral.

“If you want to get the best view of the grounds, I’d get started as soon as we greet our hosts. There’s about an hour until the sunsets. Exploring after that is fine. They keep all the paths well lit,” Bruce informed. He scanned over well-respected members of the press, socialites, and long tables lined end to end holding various silent auction items as he searched for their hosts. “Let’s find Frank then go look around.”

They walked into the spread of people. Within a few feet, they were almost ran over by a group of children chasing after a pair of brown, shaggy dogs. To their left, a trio of women took off their shoes to walk barefoot on the grass.

A man of average height with wide shoulders and eyes surrounded by deep laugh lines appeared in front of the duo once they reached the center of the crowd.

“Bruce! So good to see you.” The man stuck his hand out and Bruce shook it.

“Frank, you and Ingrid have really outdone yourselves on this one.”

“I’ll make sure to pass on your compliments to her. She really is the one who does all the work,” the man said with a wide smile. He then turned his attention over to Jason. “It’s very good to have you here. I’m Frank.” He offered his hand to Jason in the same manner he’d done for Bruce.

“I’m Jason.” He shook the hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Frank shifted to address both Jason and Bruce. “Food tables are on the far side. Sit wherever you want, or don’t; the whole yard is open for exploration. The irises and lilacs are going crazy right now. And don’t forget to stop by the bidding tables. Now, please excuse me. It appears that Matthias Lu is flirting with my wife again. Ingrid can handle herself but even I couldn’t blame her if she left me for Matthias Lu.” Frank Eliot gave them a wink. “He just became the face against palm oil, you know.”

“Good luck,” Bruce said with a light laugh.

“I’ll need it.” He gave them a wave before he started weaving his way to his wife.

The elder Wayne turned to his son and cocked his eyebrow. “Shall we take a turn through the garden?” He asked in an exaggerated British accent.

“You’re not funny, old man,” Jason said in a serious tone despite the wide grin on his face.

Before they started down one of the paths, Bruce stopped at the food tables and filled a bowl with plain lettuce. When Jason gave him a questioning look, he explained it was for the geese.

Bruce let Jason take the lead down a dirt trail. The young teenager marveled at how natural yet staged the yard felt. There were old trees with trunks twice as wide as the cement columns in front of the Gotham City Courthouse, wildflowers growing out of the middle of otherwise empty stretches of grass, and a stream edged with jagged rocks; but there were also man made flower beds, hedges taller than Bruce trimmed into shapes, and decorative iron benches in alcoves.

Jason occasionally asked for the name of a flower they’d stumbled across. He told Bruce he imagined Ivy would enjoy this kind of party. Eventually, Bruce suggested they head to the pond to feed the geese.

The elder Wayne directed them through several turns and they ended up at the water’s edge. The waterfowl ate all their lettuce then the two sat down on a large, flat rock half covered by tree roots that looked over the pond.

“Better than a Gotham party?” Bruce asked as they looked out over the clear water.

“I dunno. I’m tryin’ to figure out if I fell down a rabbit hole and ended up in Wonderland.” His voice was blasé but the way he sucked his cheeks in gave away Jason was trying to hide a smile.

“No white rabbits, just North Jersey.”

“It’s definitely not a Gotham party.”

“Gotham parties typically don’t have geese to feed.”

“Gotham parties feed you geese.”

Bruce chuckled and Jason finally stopped holding back his grin. They chatted for a while. Finals were coming up for Jason and he had a paper on _The Invisible Man_ due Friday. Bruce had a meeting with some big shot from Ferris Air on Tuesday. Midway through Jason trying to convince Bruce to get a dog, his stomach let out a large growl. He flushed. Bruce stood up from the rock and suggested they go grab something to eat.

“Ingrid’s caterers are no Alfred, but they do their best.”

“Wait, do they even serve meat, or is everything vegan?” Jason slid off the rock and started following Bruce.

“I think she hand picks the cows off a sustainable farm in Illinois.”

Jason gave Bruce an incredulous look. “For real?”

Bruce nodded in answer and, after a beat, Jason went back to his argument for a dog.

It got dark enough that all the lights switched on. Edison bulbs strung from post to post along the paths and fairy lights twirled around tree trunks began to glow. The effect would be more magnificent once the sun was completely set.

Soon enough, they were back at the center of the party serving themselves lavish foods off one of the long wooden tables. Everything was clearly labeled: vegetarian, vegan, gluten free.

They’d just finished piling their plates when Oliver Queen quite literally bumped into them. He wore a surprisingly tasteful suit offset by a hot pink tie that did _not_ work with the rest of the ensemble. 

“My bad-” he began to apologize before his face flickered with recognition. “Bruce. And you must be Jason,” Oliver said the elder Wayne’s name with barely covered annoyance then slapped on a polite smile for Jason. 

“Olie, all the way from Star City. Didn’t know you were such an enthusiast for the environment,” Bruce said with a forced smile.

Oliver managed to pull his own expression into a smile. “I have a deep and secret love for polar bears. I do what I can to fight climate change. That, and I’m here to bid on the 60-year-old bottle of Macallan Kyran Figueroa donated for the auction.”

Oliver caught Jason wrinkling his nose at the pink tie. “It’s pretty hideous, huh?” He tapped the tie for emphasis.

“It’s fuckin’ ugly,” Jason stated. Bruce gave him a slight nudge and he gave the older man a look that said _What? It’s true_. Jason turned his attention back to Oliver. “Why are you even wearing it if you know it’s that bad?”

“I lost a bet.” Oliver began scanning over the crowd. He muttered a low, “fuck”.

Bruce looked over to where Oliver’s gaze rested. Roy Harper was carrying two glasses of champagne off into one of the shadowed trails. “No hot date this year, Olie?”

“Actually, I got wrangled into bringing the whole family, Dinah and the kids, though, it looks like Dinah is the only one not abandoning me.”

“Kids?”

“Roy and Roy’s plus one.”

“Jade?”

“God, no.”

Jason swallowed the last bite of a fancy sandwich. “What type of bet did you lose where you had to wear _that_?” He made an exaggerated look of disgust directed at the tie.

“You see that beautiful blonde woman over there who looks like she might break that man’s arm if he keeps talking to her?”

Jason looked in the direction Oliver had slightly tilted his head towards. He spotted the woman. She wore an incredibly elegant black jumpsuit with a sweetheart neckline and lace overlay. Her hair was down and a gold necklace rested tight around her throat. He nodded so Oliver knew he’d seen her.

“Well, she said I should invite my son to come with us. I told her there was no way in hell we’d ever be able to get Roy at a swanky party in somebody’s backyard. She said she could do it. I bet her that she couldn’t. Then, she seized the opportunity. Told me when she proved me wrong, she was choosing my outfit for tonight. I wear an emerald suit one time and, suddenly, I’m no longer trusted to dress myself.” Oliver took a shish kebab off Bruce’s plate and bit into it.

“If she didn’t want you to look embarrassing, why did she choose the tie?”

“Oh, that was part of the deal she made with Roy to get him here.”

“I’m surprised Roy didn’t choose something worse,” Bruce said, grabbing another kebab to replace the one Oliver had stolen.

“This _is_ worse. It’s ugly enough that people stare at it but it’s not strange enough that they aren’t positive I didn’t pick it myself.”

“Hot pink isn’t your color, that’s for sure.” Jason reached for a champagne flute. Bruce made a noise and he immediately redirected his hand to what was clearly labeled ‘lemonade’.

Oliver snorted as he observed the action. “You and Roy would get along great.”

“I don’t get along ‘great’ with anyone.”

Oliver darted his eyes to Bruce’s. “They’re a match made in heaven.” He put the now empty kebab skewer onto Bruce’s plate.

“You’re unbearable, Oliver,” Bruce said in the way rich people do when their words don’t match their jovial tones and wide smiles and you have to wonder if they’re teasing you or if they hate you.

The blonde man visibly bit back an insult then shook his head. “Have you bid on anything yet?”

“Are you going to go outbid me if I tell you?”

Oliver responded with a mischievous smile.

“I actually haven’t made it over to the tables yet. I wanted to say hello to Ingrid before I headed over. She was occupied with Matthias when we arrived.” Bruce swept his gaze over the crowd. “It appears she’s free now.”

“She’s talking to Gita Barnes.” Oliver’s eyebrows scrunched together.

“Trust me, she’ll thank me for the interruption.”

Jason gave Bruce a pleading look before he could start to walk away.

“Yes, Jason?”

“Can I go check out the greenhouse?”

“Is your phone charged?”

Jason slid it out of his pocket and the screen lit up. “Yup. 88%. I’ll be back when I get bored or you can call me when it’s time to leave.”

“Okay.”

Just like that, Jason gave a quick smile, put his mostly empty plate in Bruce’s hand, and darted away. 

Jason found the greenhouse easily. The path Bruce had pointed out led right up to it. The building was tall and made completely out of metal beams and glass panels with a domed roof. He reached the entrance just as two pairs of married couples exited. One of the men held the door open for him.

He paused after a couple of steps inside. There was a raised pond to his right filled with several kinds of lily pads some of which were so large a grown man could sit in the center and there’d still be room around the edges. Purple lotus flowers grew up beside them in the water. To his left were bright red hibiscus, Ti plants, and bromeliads.

He continued down the walkway, passing other guests along the way. Several groups stood paused over certain areas of the greenhouse, a couple sat on a bench at the far side of the pond, and a trio of well-known actors disappeared around a corner.

Almost every man wore an expensive suit, the colors and styles changed, but none of the looks particularly stood out. The women were a different story. Some appeared more casual than others, not that their outfits were any less expensive. They wore perfectly tailored pantsuits, comfortable jumpsuits, and exquisite dresses made of satin, chiffon, and velvet.

Jason decided to follow a Victorian style tiled path off the main walkway. He walked through Colocasia plants, angel’s trumpet trees, and Brazilian candle plants.

He explored a few trails then settled into a white bench a good distance from the main walkway. It was across from an intricate fountain nestled in a partially hidden alcove. Ferns, crotons, and traveller’s palms filled the stretch between the bench and the glass paneled wall behind him.

He checked his phone to make sure Bruce hadn’t texted him. No new notifications popped up. He put his back against the armrest of the bench and pulled his legs up across the length. He found a book to read on his phone.

A short time later, a woman appeared. Her heels clicked against the tiled trail. She carried two champagne flutes and a silver clutch tucked under her arm. She wore a blue, one shoulder, chiffon dress that stopped just before the ground. Her hair was reminiscent of Wonder Woman’s: dark and curly. She set the flutes on the rim of the fountain then sat down next to them. She gave Jason a smile but focused her attention down the trail she’d come from. After a few moments, she opened her clutch and pulled out her phone. She sent a text then continued to wait.

Jason stayed comfortably on the bench and started the next chapter of his book. For about a half an hour he and the woman sat in silence. Then, woman stood abruptly, snagged one of the champagne flutes, and walked over to him. She sat at the far end of the bench where his legs didn’t reach.

“What have you got on there that’s keeping you busy?” She asked with the hint of an accent and a gesture towards his phone.

“ _Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde._ ” He’d chosen it because it fit the Victorian atmosphere. He shifted so he sat normally.

“A classic.”

“You read it?”

“I prefer postmodern.” She took a sip of her champagne.

“No offense, but why are you talking to me?” Jason asked.

“Well, either my date is running late or he isn’t coming. So I’m giving him ten minutes more minutes to show and instead of being bored while I wait, I’m making a new friend.”

Jason snorted. “A new friend?”

“Unless you like Nabokov.”

“Haven’t read him.”

“Don’t.”

They talked about books for a few minutes until the woman’s champagne flute was empty and she checked her phone.

“I suppose it’s time I leave. It was nice to meet you.” She gave him another smile before she stood up. She went to the fountain rim to retrieve her clutch and the second flute of champagne. She rifled through her clutch a moment before slipping her phone into it. Unseen to Jason, she’d removed a small vial. She kept it held so it remained invisible. She lifted the two champagne flutes expertly in one hand and carried her clutch and the vial in the other. She turned and started to walk away. At the edge of the alcove where the path cut through it, she paused. She tucked her clutch back under her arm and poured an amount of the vial’s clear liquid into the full champagne flute. She tucked the vial back into the clutch through the small gap at the top of the side. It barely took a moment and she turned back towards Jason with a soft smile. She used her freed-up hand to hold out the full champagne flute towards Jason. “You want it? It’d be a shame for it to go to waste.”

Jason grinned. “Sure.” He stood and crossed over to her.

“Thanks for keeping an old girl like me company,” she said as she passed him the glass.

“Thanks for the reading recommendations,” Jason replied. He went to take a drink of the champagne.

Suddenly, an arm was wrapped around his shoulder and the glass was lifted out of his hand.

Dick Grayson stood at his side. She wore a lavender dress that would have looked hideous on anyone else. The neckline was like a choker and two panels of fabric descended from it down to the waistline, leaving an uncovered ‘V’ from her collar bones to above her navel. The skirt consisted of layers upon layers of tulle that fell all the way to the tiled path. Black hair cascaded down her back in beach waves and her lips were glossy bubblegum pink. Like always, she managed to be strikingly attractive. No matter unstylish a look was, Dick Grayson pulled it off.

She leaned heavily into Jason like she needed him to hold her up straight and proceeded to drink the stolen flute dry. “Thanks, Jay. I thought I was about to die from thirst,” she said dramatically then she lost her balance for a moment. She giggled as she held onto Jason tighter.

“Dick?” Jason asked in surprise just as a tall redheaded man stumbled past them and bumped into the woman in blue, causing her to drop her clutch.

“I’m so sorry,” Roy Harper dumbly apologized as he bent to pick up the fallen item. He handed it back with an embarrassed smile.

“It’s fine,” the woman replied with a slight frown as she looked over the two new faces. She adjusted part of her dress, turned, and began down the path.

“Are you kidding me?” Jason asked in an agitated tone as he pulled away from Dick and gestured to the empty glass.

Dick stumbled into Roy who laughed as he steadied her.

The moment the woman in blue was out of sight on the path, the two immediately straightened up and washed away their drunk façade.

“You good?” Roy asked Jason in a serious tone.

“Yes,” Jason bit.

“Good. Uh, I’m Roy.”

“I know.”

Roy gave a half laugh. “Of course you do.”

Dick stuck her hand into a pocket of Roy’s suit. She pulled out the vial.

“What the fuck is that?” Jason stared at the object with disgust.

Instead of answering, Dick opened the bottle and smelled it. She handed it over to Roy who did the same. They exchanged a look.

“Jesus Christ, Dick,” Roy said, clearly displeased. “Come on.” He slipped the vial back into his pocket.

“Did you get that off the lady? Are you two workin’ a case?”

“We’re not working on a case,” Dick said. She sounded slightly annoyed.

“So, you just happened upon a woman with drugs on her and decided to lift them? Sure.”

“Don’t worry about it, Jay. Let’s go.” Dick motioned with her head for Jason to follow.

He didn’t move.

He pushed his shoulders back and tilted his head. “Was that case closed? We don’t need to follow her or figure out who she’s working for?”

Dick turned back to face Jason but it was Roy who responded. “We’re not on a case. Dick just decided to be a fucking idiot and—” he cut himself off. He and Dick shared a look. Roy gave his attention back to Jason. “We’re not going to be dealing with anything so how about you come hang out with us.”

Jason’s only response was a skeptical stare.

“I’ll get you a drink,” Roy added.

“Really?” Jason asked, suspicious.

“Really.” Roy grinned.

Bruce, Oliver, and Dinah were in the middle of a conversation with a couple of business acquaintances and their significant others when a drunk looking Roy Harper appeared at Dinah’s side. Dick and Jason stood a few steps away him.

A brief flicker of surprise crossed Bruce’s face when he noticed Dick.

Harper leaned close to Dinah and whispered in her ear, “Woman in a blue dress tried to drug Bruce’s kid. Dick took it instead. Probably GHB. You might want to look into it.” 

Dinah laughed like Roy had told her something funny. She motioned for Dick and Jason to come stand with them. She pulled Roy a bit forward. “This is Roy, Dick, and Bruce’s son Jason,” she introduced.

Pleasantries were passed around and the trio quickly excused themselves from the conversation.

Bruce placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder before they could completely exit. “Where are you headed?”

Jason’s eyebrows scrunched up. “I dunno.” He sent a questioning look to Roy and Dick.

“Inside,” Roy replied with a bit of an edge to his voice.

Dick looped her arm into Roy’s and put a bit of weight into it.

Bruce narrowed his eyes at the movement. “Dick.”

Roy’s face transformed into one of dislike. “Don’t. We’re going.”

Bruce took his hand off Jason’s shoulder and gave his son a look. “Be careful, okay?”

Roy snorted. “It’s not like we’re stealing your car again to go racing. We’re just going inside.”

Jason nodded in response to Bruce then shot off towards Roy and Dick.

Once inside, Jason was led by the older pair through a series of hallways. They passed through the kitchen where Roy snagged a bottle of wine and a bottle of champagne and handed them over for Jason to carry. Roy pulled open a door and Jason entered.

The room was large and several teenagers and people in their early 20s were inside it. A large sectional faced a TV where a round of Smash Bros. was taking place. There were also pinball machines along a wall and a ping-pong table next to a billiards table in the center of the room.

“Harper. Grayson,” an older blonde teen greeted them upon their entry.

“Matt Elliot, meet Jason. Bruce Wayne’s son.” Roy took one of the bottles from Jason so he could shake Matt’s hand.

“I’m Frank and Ingrid’s second oldest,” Matt informed Jason. “I’ve known Roy and Dick since whenever they first started coming to these things. Don’t let them get you into too much trouble.”

“Like Dick could ever get in trouble,” Jason responded.

Matt laughed at the younger boy’s doubt. “Oh, she and Harper are menaces. I don’t know how my parents still let them come back.”

“You say that as if you’re a perfect angel,” Roy teased.

“When compared to you two? You bet I am.” Matt turned his focus back to Jason with a wide grin. “You having a good time so far?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, it’s about to get better.” Matt took the wine from Jason’s hand.

“C’mon, Jason. You’re about to get a seat at the big kid’s table,” Roy said as he Dick and Matt started to walk away.

They crossed the room and walked through an archway into one slightly smaller. Inside, there was a huge metal sculpture of a mushroom surrounded by comfortable looking chairs. Four people were already sitting at the far side of it playing Uno rather aggressively.

Matt produced a corkscrew out of nowhere and opened the wine bottle. Roy opened the single cabinet in the room and grabbed out three glasses. He set them down on the mushroom cap and Matt poured the drinks.

Jason slid into one of the chairs.

“You good with wine or do you want champagne?” Roy asked Jason before Matt poured a third glass.

“Wine is good.”

Matt set one of the glasses in front of the younger boy as Dick pulled out the chair next to Jason and sat down.

“Grayson, you drinking or is this third glass for me?” Matt asked.

“All yours.”

Matt stayed and chatted with them for a few more moments but left when another teen came and told him it was his turn in the Smash Bros. competition. The four kids who’d been playing Uno followed shortly after and the trio was left alone in the room.

“So, what’s the wildest thing you’ve done since you started living with Bruce?” Roy asked Jason. Dick looked a little curious too.

Jason shot them a look that read _What do you fucking think?_

“I told you, Harper, this one isn’t the type to borrow the Porsche for a joy ride.” Dick said but her words were a bit slurred.

“I take it you don’t hang from chandeliers at the Manor either.”

“Bruce doesn’t let anyone drive the Porsche.”

Wide, mischievous smiles slid onto Roy’s and Dick’s expressions.

“No fucking way,” Jason stated.

Roy started telling Jason many wild adventures he and Dick had gone on, typically at either Bruce’s or Oliver’s expense. Dick gave input occasionally. At one point she completely took over the story, claiming Roy didn’t tell it right. Jason listened intently and started to loosen up around the two. As time went on, Dick started taking longer to respond to questions.

Jason abruptly interrupted one of Dick’s slow answers, “You two weren’t on a case. You both saw the lady put the drugs in the champagne and Dick drank it so the woman wouldn’t realize she’d been caught. Roy, you only got the vial so you could figure out what Dick had decided to drink and you two didn’t go after her because Dick was compromised. That’s why you said you had to talk to Dinah. You told her what was up and you probably slipped her the vial too.”

Roy blinked back at Jason. “That about sums it up.”

“Why are we just sitting around here doing nothing?”

“Dinah’s taking care of it.”

“What about Dick?”

“What about her? Oh, look, we’re observing her. So far she’s just a bit sluggish and clumsy. If she has a seizure or something, that’s when you can freak out.”

“I’m not freaking out.”

“Good.” Roy poured himself another glass of wine.

“I’m fine.” Dick made a disgusted face then bent down and took off her shoes. She placed them on top of the mushroom cap. “Got uncomfortable,” she said when the two boys stared at her.

There was a beat of silence.

“Oliver said you chose his tie.” Jason slid his glass over towards Roy as an ask for more wine.

“Yeah.” Roy filled the glass and pushed back. “It was one of the conditions I gave to Dinah for her to get me here.”

“What were the others?”

“I told her if she could get Dick to join and I could pick Olie’s tie, then I’d come.”

“I’m only here because Dinah promised if I came, she’d buy me takeout once a week for the next month,” Dick tacked on, slurring.

“All that just so she could choose Oliver’s suit?”

“He would have chosen green,” Dick and Roy said in sync with equally grossed out looks on their faces.

“Hey, what time is it?” Roy asked.

Jason pulled out his phone and checked. “10:17, why?”

“Bidding ends at 10:30 and then winners are announced at 11:00. Olie is going after this bottle of Macallan so we can’t leave until after he collects.”

“Hey, how about we go kick some ass at Smash Bros,” Roy suggested with a look of confidence.

“I’m game.”

“I’m going to beat you so bad.” Dick slid out of her chair and onto her feet.

Roy slammed back the rest of the wine in his glass. “You must be really drugged if you actually think you’re going to win.”

Jason grabbed the unopened champagne bottle and stood up.

“Talk trash all you want, Roy, but your ass is grass.” Dick was already halfway out of the room.

Roy shot a look over to Jason. “You and me versus Dick.”

After the kids had gone inside, Bruce had excused himself from the group. He had made his way over to the auction tables and placed a few bids including one on a bottle of 60-year-old Macallan. When he glanced around the space, he found Oliver and Dinah gone.

Later into the night, the two returned looking a little askew. They ended up alone at a table with Bruce somehow.

“So,” Bruce started, “Roy and Roy’s plus one, huh?”

Oliver straightened his tie. “They seemed to be getting along with Jason,” he replied, ignoring the question.

Bruce went along with it. “I hope they don’t convince him to take the Porsche out for an unsupervised spin.”

“I’m sure they won’t corrupt him too badly.”

“What did Roy tell you earlier, Dinah?” Bruce referred to the whisper.

Dinah and Oliver exchanged a quick look. “It was dealt with.”

Bruce leaned forward slightly. His posture straightened up to look more intimidating. He remained like that for only a moment until he forced himself to look unconcerned. “Okay.” He pushed himself back into his chair and took a drink.

The topic changed and they spoke about interesting events that had taken place in their respective cities. Deathstroke had been in Star a few weeks back. Riddler had stirred up some trouble in Gotham last month.

When Bruce’s watch read 10:20 he told the pair he had something to take care of and went back the auction items. He checked his status on the Macallan. Quite a few people had bid after his last pass through the tables. He placed a higher bid on the bottle. He looked at his status on the other items he’d previously bid on. At 10:25, the staff overseeing the auction started to pick up the sheets. Bruce made his way back to the Macallan one last time. There was another bid after him and he quickly wrote down another large sum of money.

The results of the auction were promptly released at 11:00.

Bruce won the Macallan.

Oliver was visibly disappointed he hadn’t.

Oliver, Dinah, and Bruce were waiting at the edge of the driveway for their kids.

Bruce’s phone pinged. “Jason says they’re finishing up a round of Smash Bros.”

Moments later, the younger trio exited from front door of the house. Jason and Roy were speaking animatedly to each other while Dick observed with a light smile. The descended down the front yard until they were standing with the other half of their group.

“You three look like you had fun.” Oliver brought his hands up to ruffle Dick’s and Roy’s hair. Roy ducked away but Dick accepted the gesture.

A wide grin spread over Dick. “He’s all pouty because he’s a loser.”

Roy shot a glare at the younger woman. “I’m not pouty. I just don’t want my hair messed up. And you only won because we let you.”

“Sure,” Dick snorted.

A limousine pulled up beside them. The driver came and opened the door. Oliver and Dinah made pleasant goodbyes then got into the vehicle.

“Give Bruce hell for me, Jay,” she told him as she threw an arm over his head. He shoved it off.

“I will,” he promised.

Dick gave him a happy smile then disappeared into the limo.

Jason turned his attention to Roy. “Oliver said we’d get along.”

“Do you agree with him?” Roy managed to ask with a straight face.

“I guess,” Jason replied in a cool tone, but he only kept his expression casual for a moment before a smile broke through.

“I’ll see you around.”

Just like that, Bruce and Jason were the only two left.

“Did you know Dick always wins at Smash Bros?” Jason asked, excitedly as they walked to their car. He went on to tell Bruce all about his time with the pair, leaving out the drinking.

They reached the Rolls-Royce. Bruce passed Jason the bag holding the Macallan. The boy put it on his lap as he buckled in.

“Even when Dick was peak drugged up, she still managed to beat Roy, Matt, and me,” Jason continued.

Bruce’s head snapped over towards his son. “When she was what?”

Jason wasn’t paying attention. He was looking into the bag in his lap. “I thought you don’t like whiskey.”

“I don’t.”

“Then why did you get it?”

“So Oliver couldn’t.

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place during a time when Dick and Bruce still aren't getting along. Dick turned 18 a month and a half before the party and is technically no longer Bruce's ward.   
> Dinah and Oliver have a very good relationship with each other and also with Roy. They also have no problem keeping things from Bruce especially concerning Roy's friend. They don't think it's any of his business anymore.   
> I realize I never mentioned any of their superhero identities, but this is written in a very outside point of view. They are still heroes in this world.   
> Anyway, thank you for reading!!


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